Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh USA, Inc. (HSS) concluded its eighth annual “Health for Humanity Yogathon” on February 2nd, 2014. During the two-week Yogathon, thousands of participants across the United States participated in daily repetitions of the yoga routine known as the Sun Salutation, or Surya Namaskar. Several places also conducted Health for Humanity Yogathon or also called as Surya Namaskar Yajna Marathon.
HSS launched the Health for Humanity Yogathon as an annual event in 2007 to create awareness about yoga and its advantages in achieving a healthy body, mind, and spirit. The Surya Namaskar yoga routine integrates simple postures of well-balanced movements in ten steps with an easy breathing technique to provide immense health benefits for everyone, from beginners to yoga enthusiasts.
Youths from University of Southern California and Universities in Boston area organized Yogathon and yoga workshop for youths. At Bloomington, IL 140 participants completed 4,500 repetitions of Surya Namaskar in just 2 hours and 30 minutes. In Fisher, IN, 35 people gathered for two hours and completed 2000 repetitions.
Volunteers from San Antonio, TX, Irvine, CA, Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey organized 24 hours Yogathon and completed several thousand repetitions with participation of hundreds of volunteers and enthusiasts.
Due to local weather conditions, Bay area volunteers have rescheduled their February 2nd event to later date. They are organizing a Yoga chain with an aim to bring that event in Guinness Book of the World Record. A yoga chain is when participants get into particular poses one by one. The first person in the chain gets into a pose, then the second person copies, with the third person copying the second person, until the entire chain is in the same pose.
HSS conducts Surya Namaskar and other yoga activities regularly during weekly meetings. The Yogathon, or Surya Namaskara Yajna, is meant to spread the message of health awareness at this time of year to coincide with the traditional Makar Sankranti festival, which falls on January 14.